SEARCH HERE

You are here

Magic for Liars: A Novel (Hardcover)

Staff Reviews

Magic For Liars was a fantastic read! Full of mystery, magic, intrigue, twists, and just enough drama to keep pages turning. Oh, and there's even a Chosen One Prophecy. A strange death (murder or suicide?) at a school for mages brings P.I. Ivy Gamble to Osthorne Academy- a place where she doesn't feel like she fits in because she has no magic powers even though her sister, a teacher there, does. Ivy is a relatable and deep character, with both flaws and strengths. I absolutely loved this book and think it's perfect for readers of mystery, fantasy, and those who just want a great story.

— Katrina

Description

A 2020 LOCUS AWARD FINALIST FOR BEST FIRST NOVELSharp, mainstream fantasy meets compelling thrills of investigative noir in Magic for Liars, a fantasy debut by rising star Sarah Gailey.Ivy Gamble was born without magic and never wanted it.

Ivy Gamble is perfectly happy with her life – or at least, she’s perfectly fine.

She doesn't in any way wish she was like Tabitha, her estranged, gifted twin sister.

Ivy Gamble is a liar.

When a gruesome murder is discovered at The Osthorne Academy of Young Mages, where her estranged twin sister teaches Theoretical Magic, reluctant detective Ivy Gamble is pulled into the world of untold power and dangerous secrets. She will have to find a murderer and reclaim her sister—without losing herself.

“An unmissable debut.”—Adrienne Celt, author of Invitation to a Bonfire

About the Author

Hugo Award-winning and bestselling author Sarah Gailey is an internationally published writer of fiction and nonfiction. Their nonfiction has been published by Mashable and The Boston Globe, and they won a Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer. Their most recent fiction credits include Vice and The Atlantic. Their debut novella, River of Teeth, was a 2018 finalist for both the Hugo and Nebula Awards. Their bestselling adult novel debut, Magic For Liars, was published in 2019.

Praise For…

“We can’t wait to see what Sarah Gailey does next!”—Crimereads, the most anticipated crime books of summer

“With winks to multiple genres, Sarah Gailey’s Magic for Liars shows that their talent has no trouble extending to a full-length novel.”—Culturess

“In a very short time, Sarah Gailey has distinguished themself as one of science fiction's best new writers.” —BoingBoing

“The world has little mercy; but it does have heart, and like Ivy, it carries on despite its scars.”—NPR

“Magic for Liars is a perfect, spare, delectable novel that features a masterful narrative structure, terribly human characters occupying realistically magical settings, and more. The prose is spot-on and paints an intimate, flawed portrait of how a world like Gamble’s would function, from the moment she tells the disbelieving bartender magic exists to the moment she walks out on her sister. I can’t recommend it highly enough.” —Tor.com

“There's something for almost all readers here... Gailey shows us that humans are humans, even when they are magic, and they are still flawed, damaged, and oh-so-interesting” —Booklist (starred review)